The Girls of the Glimmer Factory by Jennifer Coburn

Theresienstadt was a "model ghetto" that was engineered during times of propaganda visits and video to give the appearance that the inhabitants (in reality, prisoners and slaves) were living lives of luxury, prosperity, and smug decadence while hard working, loyal to the party, Germans were fighting and suffering all the hardships of war. In reality, Theresienstadt was a labor camp and holding camp before sending prisoners to work and death camps. To encourage people not to fight getting taken from their homes and loved ones, taking the train to this camp was touted as the first step before residents went on to better, permanent communities. It was all a lie, people were beaten, starved, and murdered here, and if they didn't die here, they would probably die at their next destination.

We meet Hannah, a woman sent to this camp with her grandfather after the rest of her family manages to escape to safety. The people imprisoned in this camp are allow a wide variety of cultural pastimes, the better for having them ready to put on performances for the propaganda visits from outsiders and for video filming to promote the lie of just how good these selfish, no good to the touted party line, people have it compared to those of pure German ancestry who follow the party line.

Hilde, a true believer in the Nazi cause and once a childhood friend of Hannah before her mother cut ties with Hannah due to her family's impurities, works in the Reich Ministry of Enlightenment and Propaganda. Hilde has always been selfish and self serving, allowing her greed and jealousy to overshadow her common sense. She blunders from one mistake and misstep to another, unable to keep her mouth shut, unable to see all the wrongs she commits while she does what she wants to do for her own sake.

Years after they last saw each other as children, Hilde sees Hannah again when she is at Theresienstadt to make propaganda films about the camp. Watching Hilde's blind, misguided faith in the corruption that she is so zealously a part of, set against the reality of the horrors that Hannah and others are living would be shocking if I wasn't already aware of so much of what takes place in this story. There are so many real life brave, heroic people who persevered until they couldn't anymore, to make beauty through art, theater, and music under the harshest of conditions while the outside world was presented lies after lies so this could all be allowed to continue. There are good and bad people on all sides and seeing people go against those who would destroy them to help those who had no way to save themselves gives me faith in humanity despite the cruelty of so many others.

Cradles of the Reich is a previous book by this author, and although the two books don't have to be read together, one of the main characters in The Girls of the Glimmer Factory is followed in Cradles of the Reich. Together the books show the myriad of ways that people are being totally controlled and destroyed by madmen and their followers. My review of Cradles of the Reich: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5035079352

Thank you to SOURCEBOOKS Landmark and NetGalley for this ARC.

Hannah is one of the Jewish prisoners at Theresienstadt. Imprisoned with her grandfather, Hannah works recreating Jewish manuscripts. Her best friend, imprisoned with her boyfriend, works at the glimmer factory, shaving mica. Hilde, a Nazi follower, works at the Reich Ministry of Enlightenment and Propaganda. Tasked with making a film of Theresienstadt, Hilda is astonished to find her childhood friend Hannah locked inside.

I thought it was interesting how the author weaved the story of filming Theresienstadt into the character storylines. However, I thought the characters themselves were very stereotypical and flat. I also found most of the characters unlikeable. Overall, not a book I would re-read or recommend.

4.5⭐️s. This was a well done portrayal of 2 women’s perspectives on opposite sides of WW2, centering on the Theresienstadt ghetto, and the crazy way the Nazi’s used it for propaganda.

I thought the voices of Hannah and Hilde were really personalized perfectly. So often I feel like books with dual perspective sound too similar between characters but this was beautifully done, helping you see the frustration and desperation of Hannah, and yet the utter arrogance and selfishness of Hilde.

I didn’t realize this book carried over from Cradles of the Reich with Hilde’s character. Not technically a sequel but it could have been. I always like books that cross over characters - it helps me feel more invested in them, so that was a good surprise since I read that a couple years ago.

I’ve read many WW2 books and have known of Theresienstadt in vague references but never directly read about it so this was a good new setting to learn about. The author did a great job explaining the misunderstanding the ghetto camp has, as being viewed as “not as bad” because of how it was portrayed as a giant lie to the outside world. Both the cunning and the depravity of the Nazis is still astounding to me.

I will say I don’t really understand the title choice of the Glimmer Girls since that was only sort of a here and there background feature of the camp and the characters in it weren’t really known for that. I thought I was going to learn more about the mica mining but hardly did. But regardless, I thought it was well done and I’m glad I learned about this piece of the war and holocaust.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are mine.

This is a fascinating story. I had no idea that a “ model” concentration camp had been built to show to the Red Cross and other war tribunals how the nazis were running fair and liveable camps. Now, around this camp based on fact is a beautiful and stunning story of a young girl and her grandfather who are broken off from the rest of their family and end up here during the war. The story will hold you from page 1 until it’s finished, as another look at the misguided hold the German nazis had trying to protect their evils. The characters are drawn sharply and will remain in your thoughts. A must read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for allowing me to read The Girls of the Glimmer Factory. This is a brutally beautiful story of survival and family. This is a meticulously researched story that draws on actual events. This is a must read for anyone wanting to learn more about the Theresienstadt ghetto.

Unlike some historical fiction that is set in World War II, this novel shows us a view of what life was like for refugees between the onslaught of widespread harassment and the looming fate of the death camps . . . when they were being bent and conditioned . . . and still held hopes of renewal.

According to the Yad Vashem World Holocaust Remembrance Center, 155,000 prisoners of war were sent to Theresienstadt. This ghetto served as a housing/work facility and way station before being transported to the death camps being established further east.  Several propaganda campaigns were launched by the Nazi party during this time to contradict reports of the horrific conditions within these camps and ghettos where many families were being held. The creation of false narratives by this political power was a conniving and concentrated effort to conceal plans to drive the Jewish race into extinction.

This story and others that depict this terrible time in history serve as a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. Survivors of the holocaust have now become stewards of the past preserving the arts, culture, and traditions of their Jewish ancestors. The more we learn and understand the past, hopefully, that wisdom will help to create a better future for us all.

I thank NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of The Girls of the Glimmer Factory for my unbiased evaluation.  3.5 stars

'The existence of beauty and art was a result of two things: the cynical needs of the Nazis and the sheer fortitude of the prisoners'.

Hannah Kaufman and her grandfather are trying to survive the best they can in Prague, as Nazism takes control and anti-semitism tightens its noose around Jewish citizens. But hope seems to arrive in the form of a new 'settlement', Theresienstadt. Hannah's grandfather has sold their belongings to secure a lakeside cottage. Their arrival, however, makes it clear that this is no more than a rundown ghetto, serving meagre rations. With so many artists and musicians in residence though, defying their oppressors with the simple joy it brings them, gives hope to believe the war will soon end.

Hilde was a childhood friend of Hannah's, right up until the events around Kristallnacht forced the Kaufman's to flee Munich. As a proud German, she is keen to do whatever it takes to prove herself to the Reich, and filmmaking might just do it. When she's assigned to work on a propaganda film, featuring Theresienstadt, Hannah and Hilde's stories collide. But as the conditions become more dire, and people become more desperate, in the closing months of the war, just one of them will ultimately survive.

The Glimmer Factory is told in the alternating POVs of Hannah and Hilde. Hannah is reticent and fearful of joining any acts of resistance, while Hilde is a fanatical force that will stop at nothing to get what she wants.

Jennifer Coburn's story is well-researched and I really enjoyed reading her comprehensive endnotes. Theresienstadt was yet another part of WW2 history I was unaware of and I'm glad I had a chance to rectify this. A great addition to WW2 historical fiction and remembering the Holocaust.

'Truth could take alternate forms and be no less true'.

"Joy is the greatest act of resistance."

There are countless books set during WWII, and picking up a new one, I am always worried it is going to be similar to something I have already read, but luckily, The Girls of the Glimmer Factory presents a setting that only has come up in few WWII novels I have read before: Hitler's gift to the Jews: Theresienstadt. In this book, we meet two young woman. First, there is Hannah, young, Jewish, failing to flee to Palestine with the rest of her family, transported to Theresienstadt with her Opa, believing he is taking them both to a better place. Then, there is Hilde, a German girl who after learning her husband has died leaves for Berlin to work in the filmmaking branch of the Reich. We see each of the women trying to make the best of their situation, until their worlds collide once more (after having been childhood friends), when Hilde comes to Theresienstadt to film the next big propaganda movie...

So, I loved how this book explored the realities of Theresienstadt. How yes, it was different from the work and death camps most of us will be somewhat familiar with. Where prisoners had some degree of freedom. Where there was some level of cultural preservation. But how it was definitely not a simple life, or a treat to be there. The insecurity of knowing how long one can stay, the long days of labour on very meagre rations, having to act and pretend everything is peachy when Nazi officials or the international red cross come to visit, were its own version of hell.

I also really appreciated how the author showed us the perspective of 'the average German' trying to do well for themselves in day to day life, trying to excel regardless of what that meant. I found it unfortunate that Hilde's character, at least to me, seemed a little ditzy and unlikable, making it harder for me to go along with her, and really believe her storyline. That being said, the book is well-researched and full of little facts and scenes that make the story overall believable and enjoyable to read (in as far as one can say that about a WWII book including references to Auschwitz and the final solution, of course).

Do not be deceived by the title. This book is set in a prison camp, the glimmer is not hope. Hannah's family sees the danger of Nazi Germany looming. Living in Prague, they plan to move to Palestine. The family has applied for legal migration papers but the documents and travel visas are limited. Many of their friends have escaped using smugglers. Hannah, her mother, her father, and her younger brother Benjamin have their papers. The grandparents are to follow but there is no guarantee they will leave. On the morning of their trip, Hannah awakens with smallpox. She stays behind with her grandfather and both will emigrate as soon as she is better. Sadly, the Nazis arrive and she and her grandfather are sent to Theresienstadt. While not as horrifying as Dachau or Buchenwald, Hannah was denied basic human comforts.

Hilde was the same age as Hannah and had attended the same school. As the Nazi influence grew and anti-Jewish sentiment became popular, Hilde no longer associated with Hannah. Hilde was German and devoted herself to being a good German girl. Her relationship with her parents was difficult and when Hilde met a man that promised to care for her, she married him. She moved to live with him on the family farm. His mother disliked Hilde and made no attempt to hide it. When they received news that Hilde's husband had died in the war, Hilde's mother-in-law told her to move out. Hilde was determined to live away from her parents, so she traveled to Berlin to find work. As part of the Nazi propaganda and in an attempt to hide the treatment of the Jewish people, a film was to be made showing how wonderful life was in the Theresienstadt camp. Hilde was surprised to find her old friend living there. Hilde wanted to help her former friend but was her intent heartfelt or misguided guilt?

All concentration camps were horrific. The two girls separated by religion is an interesting contrast. Both characters are interesting and Hilde exemplifies the single-mindedness that people had toward Hitler and the Reich. Hilde was naive. Hannah was initially naive but life in the concentration camp soon matured her. The tale of these young women is realistic and not sugar-coated. A credit to the author for being blunt and also for showing life after the war. This is a story that would be excellent for either high school reading and discussion or a book club. Thank you for allowing me early access.

A well-researched WWII novel full of complex characters.

This multi-POV novel is an inspiring read that delves into what it takes to survive even against the propaganda machine of Nazi Germany.
It is such an interesting take since we see both sides - the Jewish girl who is objectified by the propaganda and the German girl who wants to help makes the films. It goes to show that no one comes out unscathed from the propaganda: many lose their lives and others lose their minds.

This is such an important story to read especially in today's world of internet and AI.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the eARC of this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this book.

One of my favorite genres and I loved this book.

The setting was so descriptive I felt like I was there and the characters were developed so well I felt like I knew them personally. Great dialog. All came together for a fantastic read.

Read this over the course of two days.

Recommend.

This beautifully written and well researched novel is destined to be one of the top books of 2025. It highlights a little known concentration camp that was used by the Nazis for propaganda purposes. In Nazi propaganda, Theresienstadt was cynically described as a "spa town" where elderly German Jews could "retire" in safety. In reality it was a crowded and dirty ghetto where people were forced to provide slave labor and a transit camp for Jews who would be sent to camps like Auschwitz where they would be killed.

The story is told in alternating chapters by two women who had been friends in school but now were on opposite sides. Hannah is a young Jewish woman. After illness kept her from sneaking out of Prague to board a ship to Palestine with her family, she and her grandfather lived together. Her grandfather was told that they had the opportunity to go to new settlement for privileged Jews where they would be safe until the end of the war. They left Prague with high hopes but ended up in a ghetto that was dirty and crowded and where residents were forced to provide slave labor. At first Hannah believes that the war will be over soon and refuses to get involved with the resistance movement at the camp. After several incidents, she becomes involved. When she hears that the Nazis are going to beautify part of the camp for an upcoming visit by the Red Cross and then make a film about the beautiful camp, she and her group work on ways to disrupt the film and let the world know the real truth. She's very surprised that an old childhood friend shows up to work on the film. Hilde believes in the Nazi cause and is looking for a way to prove that she really values their work. The film is a perfect way for her to prove her allegiance while she makes a name for herself. They are both surprised when they see each other. Will their friendship help the resistance or the Nazi propaganda film? How important is friendship in a situation like this?

Be sure to read the Author's Notes at the end where she talks about the research that she did for this book and the characters that are based on real people. This book is a look at family, love, yearning for freedom and ultimately the results of good over evil. I read a lot of WWII fiction and this book is one of my favorites.

This book takes you on an emotional journey, through the eyes of two young women. One Jewish and the other a supporter of the Reich. Both determined to make it through the war, for two obvious different reasons. I do not believe I have read a book set in Theresiendadt, the camp where the Red Cross inspectors make sure the prisoners are not being miss treated. The German's put on an amazing show through their propaganda. Making everyone believe they are heading for a lakeside cabin. When in reality they are stripped of their dignity, thousands upon thousands were killed, and others used this as a steppingstone onto even worse nightmares. Nightmares that I still have trouble imagining and hope that history does not repeat itself.

Hannah and her family moved from Munich to Prague. Thinking they would be safe from the grasp of the Reich. The German's have them in their grasp once again and they are planning to move to Palestine. When Hannah's face breaks out in smallpox, the family has to make a quick decision and leave Hannah and her grandfather in Prague. Her Opa is a strong believer in truth, he gives his last cent to the Germans to set himself and Hannah up. As they step off the trains and into their new reality. They are gripped with fear, the unknown, and are hoping that the war will only last a few months. Hilde has been working her way up the Reich ladder. She has made it her mission to make one of the propaganda films. To get the word out that the Germans are treating the Jews astonishing well. With theatre, art, and music coursing out of Theresientadt. Hilde learns that even the Reich can fool even the cleverest of people.

The ending destroyed me. The senseless death, the cruelty to other humans, making them believe they are less than, and talking about them as if they are pets. You can tell that Coburn has thoroughly researched this book. It has astonishing details and the attention to details is suburb. If you are looking for an amazing historical fiction read, look no further. Thank you to Jennifer Coburn and Sourcebook Landmark for my gifted copy.

This was such an informative book! It was slow going in parts but in the end it was hard to put down. Parts of it was unbelievable even though.I Knew it to be true.

I received an advanced copy of this book from Sourcebooks Landmark via NetGalley.

This haunting and thought-provoking novel masterfully captures the tension, sacrifice, and resistance during one of history’s darkest periods. Set during World War II, the story provides a dual perspective—one from a Jewish prisoner fighting for survival and truth, and the other from a devoted Nazi propagandist blinded by ideology.

Hannah, a Jewish prisoner at Theresienstadt, faces unimaginable horrors. Trapped in the Nazis’ so-called “model ghetto,” she becomes a silent rebel, determined to expose the truth behind the propaganda film Hitler Gives a City to the Jews. With deportations to death camps looming, Hannah and her fellow resistance members vow to sabotage the film and disrupt the Nazi narrative at any cost. Her courage and determination make her story both inspiring and heart-wrenching.

On the other hand, Hilde is a young German woman working for the Reich Ministry of Enlightenment and Propaganda. A true believer in the Nazi cause, Hilde is determined to prove herself by ensuring the film’s success. But when she recognizes Hannah—a childhood friend—in the camp, her loyalties and values are tested. Hilde represents the unsettling reality of a generation brainwashed by Nazi ideology, and her perspective is as uncomfortable as it is illuminating.

Coburn’s meticulous research and vivid storytelling transport readers into the complexities of life at Theresienstadt and the insidious reach of Nazi propaganda. The contrasting viewpoints of Hannah and Hilde provide a deeply emotional and multifaceted narrative, highlighting the humanity and resilience of those who resisted, as well as the chilling mindset of those complicit in the atrocities. The tension between these two women’s paths underscores the horrors of propaganda and the strength of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable cruelty.

The novel is both heartbreaking and inspiring, offering readers a poignant reminder of the importance of remembering the Holocaust and the sacrifices made by countless individuals to preserve truth and humanity. Coburn expertly balances historical detail with gripping storytelling, ensuring the novel is as educational as it is emotionally impactful.

I am a big fan of Jennifer Coburn and really enjoyed this book as well. It is always hard to read a book that tackles this subject as it is almost impossible to believe these things happens. The Girls of the Glimmer Factory tells the story of two girls, Hilde and Hannah and how very different their lives were during the Holocaust. It also felt very relevant for the times we are living in now with everyone talking about "Fake News". I always learn so much when I read books by this author and find myself doing lots of other research on the topics. The only reason I gave this book 4 stars instead of 5 was due to the ending, I just would have liked a little bit more.

In Jennifer Coburn’s newest novel, The Girls of the Glimmer Factory, Hannah attempts to escape to Palestine with her family, but comes down with small pox which prevents her from traveling. When her Oma takes her places, she stays behind with her Opa, who buys them a lakeside cottage at a planned location in Theresienstadt. Upon arrival, they find that what they were told is untrue and they become a part of Nazi propaganda to let the outside world know that there is no mistreatment of Jews. Behind the scenes, a resistance is building and trying to find ways to let outsiders know the falsehood of the film being taped.

Meanwhile, Hilde uses whatever means she can to work her way into the filmmaking world of her Fatherland. She finally lands the opportunity to help with a propaganda film where she sees her childhood classmate, Hannah, who she manages to get as her assistant. Hilde has always found a way to get and do what she wants, but as layers are revealed, she finds there is so much she doesn’t know about the true intent of the Nazi government.

Amazing research was done by Coburn for this novel. Heartbreaking but filled with hope that they’ll live another day, the prisoners at Theresienstadt did what they could to survive and avoid transport east to Auschwitz. The research notes at the end of the book fill in gaps of the real people who inspired her characters and helped tell their story of the hell they went through because they were viewed as lesser than and a problem by Hitler and his people. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOK Landmark for the advanced copy. Opinions expressed are my own. This book will be published on January 28, 2025.

#netgalley #arc #bookstagram #JenniferCoburnBooks TheGirlsoftheGlimmerFactory #SOURCEBOOKLandmark

This fast paced book shows life in Theresienstadt Concentration Camp and how the Nazi’s showed this place as an ideal camp to the Red Cross. Although the main character is fictional, it is based on real life stories. Artists and musicians flourished here and there were thousands of paintings, sketches, musical pieces written and performed here by adults and children. This however did not hide the evils of what went on behind the scene.. It was mainly a slave labor camp, however few of the 155,000 that came through here survived. It also shows how different life was for the two main characters who had once been best friends since childhood. Ms Coburn does an excellent job of character development. The book is extremely well written and I would recommend it highly.

An amazing sequel to Cradles of the Reich! I’m glad Hannah got a happy ending. I only wish that selfish Nazi woman had lived to see her Reich fall into dust.

This is a really interesting and important book set in a lesser known internment camp of the Nazis. Filled with mostly Czech Jews it highlights activity of the time I was unaware of. Jennifer Coburn has done extensive research and also includes detailed notes about the fiction vs actual events depicted. I enjoyed The Girls of the Glimmer Factory very much and will look for Cradles of the Reich by the same author.

I thank #netgalley and the publisher, #sourcebookslandmark for this ebook ARC to read. All opinions are my own